Get Involved: Long Beach volunteer opportunities

Throughout Long Beach, groups and organizations are seeking volunteers and donations to help those in need.

Here is a list of some that have asked for a helping hand. For these and other volunteer opportunities, call Alexandra Weiss at The Volunteer Center, South Bay-Harbor-Long Beach, at 310-212-5009 or visit www.volcenter.org.

Long Beach Opera: The company is looking for volunteers for its upcoming production of “Difficulty of Crossing a Field.” Volunteers will act as ushers to assist at performances on Sunday and June 28-29. Volunteers are welcome to stay and watch the performance for free when seats are available.

Volunteer Action for Aging: The organization is seeking bilingual Spanish “Friendly Visitor” volunteers. The volunteer will visit a lonely isolated senior in the senior’s home, one hour per week. The schedule is very flexible. Friendly Visitors keep seniors healthy, happy and independent in their homes through visiting and listening. Call 562-637-7103. www.independenceathome.org/volunteers.

The Museum of Latin American Art: The organization is looking for teen volunteers for its summer art camp. Teen counselors must have a love for art, be energetic and friendly. Teen counselors support the lead and art instructors by setting up and breaking down activity areas and ensure that campers are always safe and where they are supposed to be. The Summer Art Camp is a three-week, bilingual day camp for children ages 6-12 from July 7 to July 25. Camps are from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Campers learn to speak Spanish in a creative, safe environment through art projects, creative experiments, capoeira (martial arts), storytelling, nature walks and other activities. Call 562-437-1689. www.molaa.com.

Rancho Los Cerritos: The organization is looking for enthusiastic and reliable teen volunteers for its Summer Adventures day camp this summer. Rancho Los Cerritos Historic Site was built in 1844 and is a public museum open for tours, programs and events. Through historically themed activities, crafts, and games, teens will help teach elementary-aged children about life in old California. The camp runs July 14 through Aug. 1 and anyone interested must make reservations and attend their volunteer opportunity meeting on June 25. Call 562-570-1755 or visit www.rancholoscerritos.org.

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The Volunteer Center’s Food For Kids: The program is looking for individuals, groups and businesses to host nonperishable food drives on behalf of the program. Food For Kids is a Volunteer Center program that delivers nonperishable food to elementary schools in Long Beach and Compton. The program provides food assistance to children and families in need while also giving the schools the tools to connect, build trust, and create a stronger sense of community with their families. Call 310-212-5009 or visit www.volcenter.org.

1736 Family Crisis Center: The organization is looking for volunteers to help with child care, mentoring children and during the school year, assisting with homework for school age children living in shelters. The nonprofit has four shelters: three shelters for battered women and children (in Long Beach, in the South Bay and in Los Angeles) and an Emergency Youth Shelter in Hermosa Beach. Volunteer opportunities in Long Beach are in the evenings. The mission of 1736 Family Crisis Center is to provide comprehensive help to children/youth of all ages, women, men veterans and families in crisis circumstances including domestic violence, homelessness, abuse, neglect, poverty and distress and to improve their prospects for long term survival, stability and success.

Muscular Dystrophy Association: The organization is looking for responsible and mature volunteers 16 and over to help with MDA’s one-week camp in Irvine this summer. MDA camp offers a fun and safe outdoor experience, along with opportunities to engage in a variety of activities such as horseback riding, swimming, adaptive sports, arts and crafts, camp dances and much more. Volunteer counselors work one-on-one with campers, providing the around-the-clock care, close supervision and the attention that children with muscle disease need. Counselors push wheelchairs, meet the daily needs of each child and become a youngster’s friend for a week. MDA especially is in need of male camp volunteers; however, female camp volunteers also are needed. MDA provides pre-camp training to all camp volunteers. Deadline to apply is June 30.

Success in Challenges, Inc.: The organization is looking for volunteers to help with its 10th Anniversary Celebration & Gala event (benefiting the Long Beach Freedom School) on June 26 at 5-9 p.m. at the Grand Long Beach Event Center. Volunteers will help with the silent and “wish list” auction. The mission of SIC is to plan, develop, and implement programs (like the Long Beach Freedom School), tutorial assistance, and personal, career and vocational counseling in the Long Beach community. Please contact Paula Wood, executive director, if you are interested. For more info: paulawood@successinchal lenges.com or 800-791-5952 ext. 102.

The Center at the Century Villages at Cabrillo: The organization is looking for volunteers to provide help in the following areas: Intro to Computers instructor, playcare assistant, and summer camp assistant. All volunteers must complete an application and interview with staff. Volunteers must be Live Scanned. Century Villages at Cabrillo (CVC) is a residential community established to break the cycle of homelessness. The Villages at Cabrillo is home to more than 1,000 residents, including veterans, families, and children, and features a collaborative of 15 nonprofit agencies. The Oasis Community Center is the hub of residential and community services delivered on site to these residents. The Center collaborates with 20 partners to offer coordinated and comprehensive services to the residents and the community.

To include a volunteer opportunity, email calendar@presstelegram.com or ptnews@presstelegram.com.